See first post for disclaimer
Chapter 11
Babies R' Us
Chloe caught sight of Clark's head as soon as she stepped through the store's doors, his height a convenient marker she often used to identify him. Charging through the aisles, she arrived at Clark's side interrupting the argument he was embroiled in with Lois beside the display of car seats.
"Alright, I got your text message and brought the consumer's reports; now would you please explain what we're doing?" Chloe eyed them dubiously.
"We've got two days to get everything a newborn needs." Lois was standing rigid with determination.
"What're you talking – wait, you got custody?" She asked Lois.
"We got custody." Clark clarified.
Chloe was unable to mask her surprise. "So what does that mean? You two are living together now?"
Lois snorted. "Hardly. As far as social services is concerned we're engaged and living together on the farm. But I'll be staying in my apartment over the Talon. It's big enough for Ella and me at, least for the next couple months."
"Who's Ella?" Chloe asked in confusion.
"The baby. Lois named her Ella." Clark explained.
"It was Clark's suggestion." Lois replied off-handedly, more interested in the car seats than realizing she had given Clark credit for something.
"Well according to our friendly consumer's report, that's the car seat you want." Chloe pointed to the model Lois had been staring at.
She punched Clark in the arm, smiling with satisfaction. "See Smallville, I told you that one was the best. The base stays strapped into the car so you can take the seat out easier."
Clark rolled his eyes sky-ward, bending to pick up the large box and crammed it into the oversized shopping cart. The three moved on to the baby monitor section, Chloe glancing into the cart that was already full of various items.
"Lois, you think you have enough diapers?" She raised her eyebrows at her cousin.
"The nurses at the hospital told me not to underestimate how often a baby's diaper needs to changed." She informed. "I have a list." She held up the list the nurses had given her as proof.
"I should think about doing an expose on the baby industry." Chloe shook her head at the long list of things they were to buy. "How're you going to be able to afford all of this?" She handed the list back.
"I have some savings I can dip into until I start my new job."
"Okay, I spend a couple days studying and suddenly you've got a new baby and a new job!" Chloe tried to wrap her mind around the speeding train that was her cousin's life.
"My mom made Lois her Chief-of-Staff." His looked indicated he still couldn't believe the news himself.
"Wow coz, Chief-of-Staff for a Senator, you're moving up in the world." Chloe grinned.
"Yeah, Lex Luthor can peddle his own muffins." She bit out harshly. "So what's the report say about baby monitors?" She switched gears rapidly, not wanting to think about the Luthors when there were more important matters at hand.
"Umm….says the Angle monitor. Apparently it comes with a pad the baby sleeps on that alerts you if she stops breathing."
"Why would she stop breathing?" Clark looked alarmed.
"Sudden Infant Death, it happens. No one's sure why but at least this can provide some safe guard against it." Chloe shrugged.
"Okay, we've got that taken care of" Lois sighed "Clark here," she handed him her credit card "go get them to scan all this while I look for a stroller."
"Aren't you going a little overboard Lo? I mean, I don't think you'll be needing a stroller right away." Chloe interjected.
"I want to make sure I have everything possible; and no kid of mine is going to be stuck inside all day." She set her mouth in a line, brokering no arguments.
"Ok-ay… I'll go help Clark load the car; here." She handed Lois the report and turned to catch up with Clark.
Chloe started in on her best friend the moment she arrived beside him. "Look, I know you've been helping Lois out with Family Services but when was the last time you spoke to Lana?"
The answer to the question eluded him. He couldn't recall having a conversation between himself and Lana since they had helped Victor escape from his tormenters; what surprised him was that almost a week had passed where he hadn't thought much of her at all. Ella had captured his attention followed quickly by Lois. He spent majority of his time working on the farm wondering at how she would be able to cope with the needs of an infant and worrying over her increasing detachment. Lois tended to throw herself into things at full speed; he had seen it happen when Lucy had arrived in town and again with his dad's campaign; he was concerned, though he'd never admit such to her.
Clark realized that once more his thoughts had segued from Lana to Lois in a matter of seconds. "It's been a few weeks. Why, has she said something?" He unlocked Lois' car and popped the trunk.
"Nothing specific. Have you told her what you and Lois are doing yet?"
He answered, though remained occupied by filling the trunk with purchases. "There isn't anything to tell and besides Lois doesn't want too many people to know yet."
"I think she'd understand if you told Lana and pretending to be engaged and going on record as a guardian for Ella is definitely something you should be telling her." Chloe argued. "Keeping more secrets from her isn't exactly the best way to win Lana's trust back and end your 'break'." She opened the backseat door, depositing a few bags on the available space.
"I know." Clark's resigned tone made her look up. "Why haven't you said anything to her?"
"It's not my place. I don't want to be in the middle of your relationship and I'm not one to gossip about Lois' life to others. But if you love Lana as much as you say you do Clark, you have to tell her." She expected a vehement declaration of love from him but none was forthcoming. "You do still love Lana." She stated warily.
Clark avoided her gaze.
"What happened to the Clark Kent who was going to propose to the only girl he's ever loved and live happily ever after?" Chloe wondered.
"He grew up." Clark retorted and dropped his eyes as the silence stretched between them. "I didn't smile." He spoke softly.
"What?"
"I never smiled." He repeated. "When I was with Lana; after the first couple months I didn't smile when I was around her. I thought it was because I had my abilities back and suddenly I was lying all the time but I realize now that around Lana I'll always be that nervous freshman spending all my time figuring out what she wanted and then trying to be that for her." He busied himself emptying the rest of the cart into the car. "When I'm with her I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. I care about her but it's not like it is with-" he stopped himself abruptly; the unfinished thought hanging between them.
Chloe let it lie; she knew the words he intended to speak next although she wasn't entirely sure he was ready to own them. "I may not be the voice of experience but I know enough to tell you that if you want to have anything resembling friendship with Lana still in tact you can't string her along."
Clark nodded. "I'll talk to her." Chloe appeared unconvinced. "I promise."
Lois exited the automatic doors of the story carrying a bassinet filled with a few boxes and bags of items she'd bought while they'd been at the car. It never ceased to amaze Chloe how quickly and decisively her cousin could spend money.
"We've got sleepers, bedding, a bassinet, car seat, feeding paraphernalia and just about every other product ever made for someone under the age of one." She blew her bangs back from her eyes as she couldn't spare a hand to push them away. "They'll ship the stroller." Chloe reopened the sedan door for Lois to stow the last of her purchases.
"So does that mean you guys are heading back now?" Chloe adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
Clark and Lois shared moment of silent communication. "We're going to spend a little time at the hospital first; check on Ella." He finally revealed.
"Wanna come?" Lois asked enthusiastically.
Chloe's eyes widened at the question. "Ah…I don't know, I haven't had much experience around kids, she's liable to scream just looking at me."
"Of course she won't; you're her Aunt Chloe." Clark encouraged.
The new title rolled around in her head a few times until she got used to its sound. "I think I'd rather wait until she's out of the hospital; it won't seem so…"
"Intense." Lois finished for her. Chloe smiled apologetically. "Don't worry about it Chlo; we'll be back in the city tomorrow. We've got a four hour court ordered parenting class to attend. I don't know why we've got to be there for four hours, it's not like it takes that long to learn how to change a diaper." She stewed with displeasure.
"Call me when you're done and we'll grab a late dinner." Chloe promised them. She leaned in to hug Lois, her mind weighted with the investigation of Lucy she embarked on a few days earlier. She would tell Lois about it eventually but the time wasn't right yet.
"Thanks for dropping everything and coming to help me out Coz." Lois held on to her a little tighter, needing the connection that only family was able to provide at times.
"Are you kidding, I've got an editorial assignment due for class and now I have a topic: I'm looking into the world of baby accessories." She smiled with pride.
"You're the best Chloe." Clark took his turn to hug his friend.
"Just remember what we talked about." She whispered for his super-powered ears only.
She walked away, her car parked on the other side of the vast lot. At the half-way juncture she gave into temptation and turned to check on Lois and Clark's progress. Her cousin was lecturing Clark, her keys held out in front of her as the obvious topic of conversation while Clark looked….Chloe tripped over her feet, regaining her balance on the back of one of the parked cars. Her best friend positively glowed in Lois' presence. With their one sided conversation over Clark moved to the other side of the car, his lips parted in a glorious smile. Things were changing. And so far she was in favouring the new dynamic.
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Astrological charts were spread on every available surface of Lana's side of the room when Chloe returned to the dorm. Her dark haired friend was hunched over one of the large pictures studying it with devoted interest and didn't seem to notice the arrival of her roommate.
"Hey, cramming for a test?" Chloe announced herself to the preoccupied girl.
"Oh hey." Lana smiled warmly. "No actually, Lex is on his way here; we're going to do some more research." She stood up and navigated her way through the mess of papers.
"Well in that case maybe I should do my work at the library. You know how I am with noise." Chloe had to restrain herself from cringing at her poor excuse. The truth was she didn't have any desire to be stuck in the same room as Lex for any length of time and considering she could concentrate in a busy news room Lana wasn't likely to buy her reasons for wanting to leave.
"No, Lex and I are going to dinner while we work so you'll have the room to yourself." Lana assured.
That gave Chloe pause. She found it difficult to believe Lana didn't see the ulterior motive behind Lex's dinner invitation but pointing out the man's devious nature hadn't been successful in the past so she remained silent….almost.
"You and Lex are going to dinner together?" Her raised eyebrows clearly indicating what she thought of the situation.
Lana was unimpressed. "Yes Chloe, how many times do I have to tell you that Lex and I are friends?"
Chloe lifted her hands in surrender. "I come in peace." She joked. "It's just that aren't you the one who was recently confused over a kiss with a certain billionaire?"
"I was." She conceded. "But I've been thinking about what you said. I shouldn't have expected Clark to read my mind and telling him I wanted a break from us wasn't exactly the best way to instill confidence in him that he could tell me whatever secrets he's keeping." She paced toward the window, watching the clouds tease the sun as the fluttered by it. "Lex is a great friend and I trust him but its Clark I'm in love with."
Chloe was thankful Lana wasn't facing her; once more she had found herself in the middle of the messy relationship between her two friends, only this time she was armed with the knowledge that Clark no longer haboured the feelings Lana apparently did.
"If he and I are going to fix our relationship I have to be just as willing as he is so I've decided that I'm going be the one who takes the first step." She smiled boundlessly. "I can't imagine my life without Clark in it."
And suddenly the conversation was a mine field for Chloe. She would have to navigate carefully or the damage could be irreparable. "Are you sure you're in love with him though? I mean, I can't imagine my life without Clark but I'm not in love with him." She hedged.
"You know what I mean." Lana insisted.
But Chloe didn't know what she meant. She was faced with how utterly dysfunctional Lana and Clark were in their relationship and Clark's other worldly secret played only a small role. She was struck with how sad the entire situation was; after years of near misses and insecurities, what was inevitably tearing them apart was getting together in the first place. Irony was cruel….but purposeful.
Chloe was determined to do the only thing anyone in her position could do, limit the hurt. "I know I was pushing you to be the first one to make a move but I think Clark's planning on talking to you about everything soon. After all that's happened with his Dad and his Mom's new career maybe you should wait for him to come to you."
A knock on the room door ended any further conversation between them.
"Hi, I'm not early am I?" Lex glanced briefly at Chloe before shifting his gaze to Lana.
"No, Chloe and I were just catching up. She's been out most of the day and spending far too much time at work." Lana smiled.
"Anyone who said starting from the bottom builds character never had to start there." She retorted hoping Lex and Lana would be on their way. Dread coiled in her stomach at every unfortunate meeting she had with Lex, igniting the rarely lit instinct to flee.
"We have reservations Lana." He intimated they should leave. "Nice seeing you Chloe." He commented as he helped her friend on with her coat.
"I'll see you later." Lana told her and was out the door before she could reply.
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Clark and Lois traversed the hollow corridor separating the bank of elevators from the enclosed neonatal unit, slowing long enough to dole out the occasional greeting to doctors and nurses met on past visits. The florescent light in front of the isolation area flickered a welcome, the bulb within alerting the staff to its weakening state. What had been a nerve rattling light show at the beginning of the week had since become an endearing source of familiarity.
Words were suspended in the thick silence between them, a silence peppered with the preparations of entering the segregated quarter of the hospital. Knowing smiles replaced uncomfortable retorts as hands were washed and shoes covered; tensions evaporated as they fell under the spell of innocence.
"Hi Beth, how's she doing today?" Lois charged through the door once her routine was complete; not bothering to wait for Clark to finish.
"Evening Lois." The nurse answered with a smile. She was most often on duty when the couple arrived to visit with the patient. "Vitals are looking great today. No sign of fluid in the lungs and her fever hasn't made a reappearance. She's definitely going to be ready to go home if she keeps improving like this." Beth's smile widened when she saw Clark arrive. "Evening Clark." She nodded to the young man.
"Hey Beth." He returned her grin and approached Lois at the baby's bedside.
Searching blue eyes stared up at the two of them from thick lashes. One eye closed against the assaulting light in the room transforming the angelic features to ones of frustrated malice.
Lois laughed out loud at the baby's glare. "I know what you mean; I want to make the same face when I see Clark." She reached down to lift the tiny infant into her arms.
"You do make that face." He retorted adjusting the pink cap on the baby's head. "Her cheeks are really red and blotchy today." He subconsciously dropped the level of his voice.
Having overheard his comment Beth glanced up from her work across the room. "She's having a reaction to the detergent the hospital uses; I'd bet she's got a slight eczema condition. You'll want to use a mild soap in your laundry and stick with as much cotton as possible." She noted. The nursing staff had taken the two young people under their tutelage, dishing out as much information as they thought they'd be able to swallow in the short time they had to learn.
"So tell me about your day." Lois held the baby on her shoulder, the little girl snuggling her face against the soft skin of Lois' neck while she spoke to her as though she understood the words. "You're not very talkative." She joked.
"That'll change." Clark groaned. "She is a Lane after all."
A proud smile graced Lois' full lips, eliciting one from Clark. "The judge made it official today" she continued talking to the baby "you're coming home with me in a couple days." Clark hovered beside her, rolling back and forth on the balls of his toes waiting for his turn to hold the newborn. "Relax Smallville, you'll get your chance to hold her." She rolled her eyes and shifted the baby so Clark could get a handle on her.
"Did Lois tell you what her name is Beth?" Clark addressed the nurse once more.
"You've finally given the little one a name; I was beginning to think she was going to be 'baby girl' for the rest of her life." Beth teased good-naturedly.
"Her name's Ella." Lois announced. "It's on her birth certificate and everything so there's no going back now." She smirked.
Clark stared at the bundle in his arms, she felt as light as air and tended to appear even smaller than her five and a half pounds when tucked in his large arms. "What do you think? Does Ella work for you?" He asked.
Once more Ella's face shifted to an evil-eyed glare earning her more chuckles from Lois and Clark.
"Don't look at me" Lois shrugged at the baby "it was Clark's idea. I'm just surprised a guy from Smallville didn't want to name you Barbra Jo or Betty Sue or something."
"At least my creativity spans further than Clarkie." He shifted Ella around to be up on his shoulder as she preferred that position when she wasn't eating.
"What? He looked like a Clarkie." She defended earnestly.
"Speaking of names, you never told me what you listed as Ella's middle name."
Lois reached out to straighten the blanket around the baby, her malleable little legs tucked in and around the folds. "Maybe one day I'll tell you." She taunted.
"Fine, it doesn't matter. She's already got the best name." He raised a knowing eyebrow. "Don't you Ella." His large hand encompassed her entire back and then some, making slow circles.
"Where exactly did the name come from?" Lois wondered aloud.
"I read the name somewhere recently and it stuck." He explained.
"Listen Clark," Lois avoided his eyes, instead watching the gentle rise and fall of Ella's back as she drifted to sleep in his arms "I wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for me and Ella this week. You've been there for me above and beyond the call of friendship, even though you created most of the situation yourself when you told Charlie we were engaged." She paused to catch her breath and to make sure Beth wasn't still listening in on their conversation. "But anyway, I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate everything, so…thanks." She finished awkwardly patting him on the shoulder.
Making sure he had a good grip on the baby Clark slid his free arm around Lois' shoulder and pulled her toward him. The hug was at an odd angle and initial uncomfortable but when Lois got her bearings back she rearranged them, wrapping her arms around his waist and tucking her face next to Ella's.
"You don't have to thank me Lois. I got the chance to get to know Ella and it's given me time spent with you. I'd call us even." He tightened his hold momentarily not able to see Lois' wide eyes at his confession.
"Well don't go getting all sappy on me Smallville. God, you're worst than a girl." She gave him one last squeeze and stepped out the embrace, her emotional walls refortifying, at least for that moment.
Together they watched over Ella who was slumbering peacefully, trading comments about her size, the colour of her hair and sharing a heated debate on whether her eyes were going to stay their current vibrant shade of blue. And once more, all thoughts of discussions with Lana evaporated in Clark's mind, his consciousness filled to the brim with thoughts and images of Lois and the most recent addition to their lives.
TBC
Please R&R if you get the chance.